Chapter 180
“I almost forgot how cool I look. I might as well create some of these clothes here and start a trend.”
“Feel free to do so. There’s nothing you can’t accomplish, right?”
“No, it’s better to see it occasionally.”
“Haha.”
“Next time, let’s go in the summer.”
“…Hmm. I’ll have to think about that.”
“Why? I think it’s a good idea.”
“I like it too, but… ha…”
What could possibly be happening in the summer that made his father react like this?
“I’ve changed.”
“Oh my! My son looks great in it, just like his father.”
Selina had given him a suitable outfit that belonged to Kalcion’s. Apart from being slightly loose, it fitted well.
Seeing her son in a new look filled her with pride. They were her own children, regardless of the words they spoke or the clothes. However, seeing her child in clothes from the world she used to live in made her feel a bit more connected.
Once again, she confirmed that she was not alone in this world.
There was also the joy of seeing her grown-up son. If Magna had seen it, she would have been jumping around, declaring her younger brother the best.
Magna believed it was appropriate for one of them to stay back at Renbird Palace to guard it.
“Shall we go now?”
The three moved to the innermost chamber of the Northern Palace, passing through several layers of security. After pushing the door, they heard a heavy sound as the room’s interior was revealed.
“….?”
The room had no ceiling or floor. Only the left and right sides were blocked, preventing visibility from the outside, but the cliff remained. In the room, there was only a bridge leading to the center of the cliff.
When the door opened, there was nothing but a bridge suspended in mid-air.
“Shall we go?”
Taking Gration’s hand, who couldn’t conceal his confusion, Selina began to cross the bridge that led into the void. Feeling Gration’s sweaty palm, she silently smiled.
This must have been how her hands were when she and Kalcion crossed over to the other world.
Suddenly, she remembered the time when the two of them first went on an outing to the other world.
* * *
Arriving on the other side of the dimensional door, they found themselves in a deep valley, a little away from the cliff where she used to shoot. Although they felt a floating sensation in the void, the ensuing feeling was like being embraced by a soft cushion all over their bodies.
When they regained their senses, they found themselves lying in the center of a mansion built in a square shape.
A cushion soft enough not to cause injury even if falling from space was placed in the center of the mansion, and Selina and Kalcion had fallen onto it.
Kalcion had prepared more than just food.
While clearing the way across the Beast Mountains and building the Northern Palace, he had also made preparations in this world.
Selina’s schedule returning to her original home was hectic. She had to organize her position as an actor, sightsee, and have dates with Kalcion. Nevertheless, the difficulty lay in the fact that she couldn’t hide her true identity no matter how hard she tried in this world.
It was the destiny of the actress Seol Lina. She even considered disappearing without a trace.
Still, things were not as simple in this world.
There were property issues, contract issues, and the matter of the abandoned project that needed to be resolved. After calculating various scenarios, Selina boldly decided to expose her return.
Her agency, upon receiving Selina’s contact, was utterly flabbergasted.
“LIIINAAAAA! Oh my God, Miss Linnaaaaa!”
“Sisteeeeeeer! Sister Lina!”
“Actress Seol Linaaaaa!”
As soon as she contacted them, the company CEO, the manager, and the director of the movie she was filming rushed in simultaneously.
“Oh, you’re alive! No, did you come back from the dead? Did you almost die and come back?”
“What happened, Sister! How could you be alive and not contact us even once!”
“Actress Seol Lina! I, I was shooting my movie, and then, how, uuuhh, how—!”
The CEO danced excitedly, the manager shouted in distress, and the director wept. Seeing these people whom she had always seen and interacted with, it finally hit her.
…Yes, she was back in the world of actress Seol Lina.
She wondered if they had all been in big trouble, thinking she had died in an accident, but thankfully, they were all well.
The CEO had even raised the fifteenth Seol Lina, and the manager was working with another actor. The movie director, after struggling with shock and guilt for a while, overcame it and was preparing for a Seol Lina biographical film.
“So, what happened?”
Everyone poured out their accumulated worries and sorrows and asked about her story. Selina began to explain, following the scenario she had prepared in advance.
“I was swept away by the waves, unconscious, and ended up somewhere. It was near someone’s house. That person rescued me, and that’s how I survived.”
“Oh, I see! But why didn’t you contact us right away?”
“I was rescued, but there was no TV, no newspapers, and the person was a naturalist, so they didn’t recognize me.”
“What?! Even if they’re a naturalist, how could they not know Seol Lina? There can’t be anyone in the universe who doesn’t know Seol Lina!”
The trust befitting a CEO didn’t make sense, but not everything that made sense was reasonable.
“Anyway, I also had amnesia due to the shock, but my memory came back recently by chance. So, I contacted you right away.”
“Amnesia! Can that really happen?!”
“Apparently, it…can.”
That part was a bit of a stretch, and her eyes quivered, but she persisted.
“Sister, you really… Your life is like a movie. I want to be with you for the rest of my life!”
“Actress Seol Lina! Yes, that’s right! Let’s incorporate that experience into a movie!”
“Okay, okay. I think this is enough. I’ll release the news immediately. Let’s have a press conference in a week and then start coordinating the comeback program.”
Despite being with these still enthusiastic people, she felt excited as an actress after a long time, but playing the role of a queen for so long, the position of an actress didn’t seem that appealing.
Selina smiled slightly and shook her head.
“I’m going to retire.”
“What…?!”
“What did you say?!”
“Are you crazy?!”
Even though she was missing, Selina was still ‘the most beautiful person in the world.’ There was a prediction that this ranking would remain unchanged for the next hundred years.
With that beauty, to retire?
“Have, have you been contacted by another agency? Or are you planning to start an agency? It’s difficult right now. Huh? I’ll help you, so don’t rush to a conclusion…”
“That, that’s right, Sister. Let’s take a break for now, and slowly…”
“Yes, yes. Since there’s no hurry with the movie…”
Even though she was still surrounded by people who were eager to keep her, she couldn’t help it.
“No, I want to spend the rest of my life quietly and happily with my husband.”
“…What did you say?”
“What?”
“Hus, husband—?!”
The three of them tried to faint simultaneously. However, Selina didn’t bat an eye.
“Anyway, it was nice meeting you. I’m sorry for causing you trouble, and please take care. I’ll leave the remaining settlement to you.”
Her mind was already made up.
She wouldn’t do any projects, nor just shoot a few advertisements. Even if the CEO pleaded, ‘Let’s just do one more,’ she remained steadfast.
Realizing Selina’s determination to truly leave the entertainment industry, the three sadly left the mansion. Regardless of what others said, her mind was already filled with thoughts of how to spend time with Kalcion.
A few days later, every media outlet poured out news about her return.
〈 Selina’s Return! 〉
〈 Dismissing rumors of death after disappearance… How are the people reacting? 〉
〈 Even those close to her didn’t know? Deception of the public. 〉
〈 Did even those close to her not know about Selina’s disappearance? Going into hiding. 〉
Selina briefly skimmed through the headlines, it didn’t deviate at all from her expectations. Whether they praised or criticized her, it didn’t matter. There were no problems in her life, and she had no plans to be active in the future.
Kalcion picked up the tablet Selina tossed and awkwardly read the words.
It was an accomplishment from his hard work studying to come to her to this world. Though his speech was slow, he had reached a level where most communication was possible.
“It’s strange not to be happy and celebrate when you’ve come back alive.”
“Some people may not like it.”
Although he understood with his head, it was difficult to accept it with his heart.
“How can that be? Just being alive and breathing at the same time is something to be happy about.”
Selina laughed and hugged Kalcion, who praised her like a habit.
“That’s why I want to be with someone who is happy.”
He was very satisfied with that response as well.
“But still, to be completely alone together, we have to hold a press conference.”
Selina systematically handled the tasks she had postponed so far.
Fortunately, there was no precise evidence of her being ‘lost at sea,’ so there was no missing person declaration. If that had happened, a missing person declaration would have been issued after just one year, and all her assets would have been transferred to her family.
She hadn’t even known about that until now, but she learned about it through this opportunity.
It was because she was simply declared as disappearing. All of her assets, which hadn’t yet passed five years, remained intact. After visiting the house where bills and dust piled up like a mountain, she gradually settled the overdue settlements, settled with the agency, and organized contracts.
Now, all that remained was to completely end her career in the entertainment industry.
Ending it with just an announcement seemed too tumultuous for the whole world. Having just recently considered her missing or even dead, Selina, who had created a wall of mourning, had returned alive, so it was a natural course of events.
While waiting for time to resolve everything, she was eager to spend happy moments with Kalcion.
“Here she comes! Miss Seol Lina!”
“Miss Seol Lina! Over here! Is it really Miss Seol Lina?”
Even though it was a press conference, excited reporters couldn’t keep their composure and shouted from the car entrance.
“Let’s go inside and talk slowly. Please come in.”
Selina stepped confidently into the press conference venue. Following her, reporters rushed forward, bursting flashes.
“Wow, it’s really Seol Lina!”
“You don’t look like you’re ill!”
Despite sending out an article through the agency without revealing herself outside, it seemed like people speculated that she might be hiding due to some kind of illness.
Selina dispelled the rumors of her health issues by confidently walking to the podium with a firm step.
“Hello, it’s been a while. I’m Seol Lina.”
She stood at the press conference as if she were announcing a new project, confidently smiling and straightening her posture.
As expected, a barrage of questions followed.
Are you really going to retire? How have you been during this time? Do you have anything to say to your fans?
As always, she adeptly and smoothly handled the questions. The next moment, one journalist threw a massive curveball.
“By the way, there were rumors about your upcoming marriage!”
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